In this week’s Toolbox Tuesday video, we’ll discuss the similarities and differences between bipolar disorder and PTSD, focusing specifically on the parallels between hyperarousal and mania.

I have been diagnosed, at various points, with PTSD, borderline personality disorder, depression, and anxiety, but I have only been diagnosed as bipolar once. That diagnosis came from Dr. Henry Emmons, author of “The Chemistry of Joy.” In this video, you’ll learn exactly how I feel about Dr. Emmons and my bipolar diagnosis.

Have you ever been misdiagnosed as bipolar? Do you experience symptoms as a trauma survivor that mimic mania? Let me know in the comments.

Towards the end of the video, I’ll explain hypervigilance, another unfortunate symptom of PTSD that falls under the hyperarousal umbrella. If you can combat hyperarousal, you can conquer hypervigilance.

The video concludes with a handful of skills you can use to prevent and recover from hyperarousal episodes.

Thank you so much for watching. Be sure to reach out in the comments with any future video suggestions!

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Hi, I’m Leif E. Greenz and I think borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often a sexist, scapegoat diagnosis. I am tired of the stigma and misogyny and I know many of my BPD-diagnosed loved ones are tired of it, too.

Instagram: @leifegreenz

I made this video at a viewer’s request, as BPD stigma is something that most people with the disorder deal with.

Borderline personality disorder IS about gender. I normally wouldn’t make such an assertion, but based on my own experiences and research, I have found it (over and over again) to be true.

In this video, we’ll explore different aspects of BPD stigma and how it relates to other mental illnesses. We’ll talk about alternatives to the BPD label, namely C-PTSD. My ultimate suggestion to mental health professionals is to drastically change the criteria for BPD or eliminate the diagnosis completely.

To my point about BPD vs. sociopathy: I understand that, because we are all so drastically different, some sociopaths may experience what could be called empathy. However, a lack of empathy is one of the defining characteristics of ASPD (anti-social personality disorder), whereas TOO MUCH empathy is a defining characteristic of BPD, which means the foundational attributes of the disorders are complete opposites. For that reason, I believe they need to be in wholly separate categories.

Note: I realize that not everyone with BPD has been traumatized. My point in this video is that traumatized people need different resources than non-traumatized people and that putting us in the same category can have dangerous consequences.

Have you faced stigma because of your BPD diagnosis? How did it make you feel? Let me know in the comments.

As most people with PTSD (and C-PTSD) know, trauma anniversaries can be devastating. There are even two terms for the phenomenon: the anniversary effect and the anniversary reaction. Both refer to what happens when an anniversary day/month/season rolls around and can be broken down into four main symptoms: intrusion, avoidance, arousal, and mood changes. (From the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs)

In this video, I’ll share some of my personal experiences with trauma anniversary reactions, since I happen to be going through one as I write this. In the second half of the video, I’ll share 15 tips and tricks for surviving your own trauma anniversaries. This is Toolbox Tuesday, after all!

If you enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel for regular updates. I post mental health videos every Tuesday and Thursday, so hit the bell icon to make sure you get a notification every time I post!

How do you cope with the PTSD anniversary effect? Let me know down in the comments. If you try out any of these tips, I’d love to hear from you about how it went.

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Hi, I’m Leif E. Greenz and in this video, I’ll explain the difference between BPD vs. C-PTSD. I’ll divulge why I reject my BPD diagnosis in favor of C-PTSD, or complex post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ll give a brief overview of what BPD is and where it came from, tying it in with the history of Freud’s “hysterical woman.”

Have you been diagnosed as borderline? Have you also experienced prolonged abuse — whether it be emotional, physical, or sexual? If so, this video is for you.

What’s your take on BPD vs. C-PTSD? Let me know down in the comments. If you have any questions or ideas for future videos, I would love to hear from you!

I’m too much — too loud, too sick, too troublesome to bother with. In this video, I’ll talk about what it means and how it feels to be “too much” for people as a result of C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) or BPD (borderline personality disorder). I’ll share some of my most painful personal experiences, as well as tips for how to set boundaries and develop healthier relationships with people.

You’re not “too much,” okay? You’re just enough. Sexual trauma and BPD symptoms don’t need to get in the way of you maintaining fulfilling relationships. You might just have to make a few tweaks along the way!

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Hi, I’m Leif E. Greenz. In this video, I’ll discuss how to write about sexual assault safely and effectively. This video does NOT contain graphic descriptions of assault and should be safe for most survivors to watch.

In today’s video, I’ll start by discussing two examples of sexual assault in writing and analyze why some approaches work and some don’t. Who can write about sexual assault and why?

Next, I’ll explain how people with PTSD (or C-PTSD) can write about sexual assault without retraumatizing themselves. The writing tricks you’ll hear about in this video include surrealism, repetition, detachment, and metaphor.

If you have any questions or want to share your experiences with writing about rape, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to write back!

Scatter the seed:

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Hi, I’m Leif E. Greenz. In today’s video, I’ll be talking about how borderline personality disorder (BPD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) can lead to what I call “toxic empathy,” which is essentially empathy that doesn’t serve you — or worse, empathy that destroys you.

I’ve notoriously made friends with lots of shady characters who use, abuse, and exploit me. Why? What is it about toxic people that PTSD and BPD sufferers are so drawn to? Today, we’ll set out to find the answers.

In the second half of the video, I’ll discuss how to make room for healthier relationships. I’ll also introduce the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) concept of relationship circles and help you decide which relationships should go where.

Thanks for watching. Please feel free to ask any questions or submit video requests in the comments and I’ll be sure to reply.